


Kiss Me Like You Care

by whenshewrites



Series: A Collection of One-Shots and Tumblr Prompts [11]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha Derek Hale, Derek Hale is Not Emotionally Constipated, Derek Hale is a Softie, Fluff and Humor, Hurt Derek Hale, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Light Angst, M/M, Monster of the Week, One Shot, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Stiles Stilinski Loves Derek Hale, Stiles Stilinski Takes Care Of Derek Hale, The Hale Pack - Freeform, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:40:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25706041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whenshewrites/pseuds/whenshewrites
Summary: “Why?”Stiles blinked at Derek for a moment. Then, nervously, he wet his lips. “Because.”“Because why, Stiles?”“Because I care about you, asshole,” Stiles said. “I’ve always cared about you.”
Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Series: A Collection of One-Shots and Tumblr Prompts [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1956889
Comments: 23
Kudos: 541
Collections: Sterek Goodness





	Kiss Me Like You Care

“I know the Alpha nicked you.”

Derek rolled his eyes, pulling his jacket over his shoulders with a slight wince. But Stiles still didn’t back down, even though the rest of the pack had already disappeared. He really shouldn’t have been surprised when they’d learned the werewolf running wild around Beacon Hills was a feral Alpha; Stiles didn’t think he should be surprised by anything anymore.

But he was a little bit when Derek had shoved him out of the way, narrowly saving Stiles from getting his face clawed off and taking the blow for himself.

Last time Stiles had checked, Derek didn’t care what the hell happened to him.

He’d like to say that in the past two years they’d spent together, Stiles had totally wormed his way underneath Derek’s skin. He’d like to say that at some point, Derek had totally warmed up to him. But judging by the fact that Derek had slammed him into a wall not three weeks ago after Stiles dared volunteer himself as bait against the hunters that had been causing problems, he really didn’t think that was true.

So when Derek had saved his life tonight, Stiles was… well, not surprised. If he was being fair, he wasn’t surprised. Not exactly. He was just… intrigued.

Yeah, that was a good word for it.

Stiles realized he was staring for far too long and blushed, lowering his gaze. He’d never admit  _ why  _ he was intrigued, or  _ why  _ he kept attempting to get underneath Derek’s skin. Because it wasn’t like he liked the man or anything. Definitely not.

“I know the claws caught you,” Stiles said, still looking at the ground. “And I know an injury like that will take time to heal.”

“I’m fine.”

“Sure, you’re fine. You know the last time Scott got nicked by Alpha claws, he nearly died.”

“I’m fine, Stiles.”

Stiles looked up at him for a long moment. Derek held his gaze, expression betraying nothing. And finally, growling, Stiles turned away and stalked toward his jeep. Because fine, if that’s what he got for caring, then he wouldn’t care at all. He deserved more than a flat answer and Derek looking like the very act of having to speak to Stiles pained him.

Sometimes, he was so fed up with werewolves. Or more-so; grumpy Alpha werewolves.

Stiles attempted not to think about Derek for the entire drive home. He really did. But then instead of making the turn to his house, he went in the opposite direction, dragging his phone out of his pocket and sending his dad a quick ‘At Scott’s house tonight’ text the moment he stopped at a red light.

He wasn’t sure his dad would believe that. But hopefully, if he attempted any detective work, Scott would figure things out and back him up.

Though, Stiles was pretty sure that wouldn’t happen; if his dad went poking around, that is. Especially if Scott had been the one to drive Allison home tonight.

In that case, Stiles was just a little screwed.

He ended up parked in front of the loft and didn’t see Erica’s car. Only the Camaro, sitting all alone in the empty parking lot, in front of the massive building that Derek had all but bought in order to avoid interacting with people.

Like a total serial killer or something.

Stiles stumbled out of the car and made sure to disable the alarm system before heading upstairs. He knew he wouldn’t be catching Derek off guard (probably) but he still didn’t want to get slammed into a wall if the man mistook his entry or something.

It might have happened before.

When Stiles slid the door open though, nervously peeking in, he didn’t see anyone for a moment. Stiles crept quietly in, glancing around the room, and nearly wet himself when glowing red eyes suddenly broke through the darkness and Derek stepped into view.

“Stiles, what are you doing here?”

“Jesus, dude, did you wait for me to arrive for that kind of creepy entry or something?”

Derek’s gaze was flat. Stiles rolled his eyes.

“What do you think I’m doing here? I’m making sure you don’t die from a feral Alpha’s claws infection or something.”

“That’s not a thing.”

“Can you be sure?”

Derek didn’t answer, but his face tightened even more. Stiles smirked.

“Exactly my point, Sourwolf.”

The man just growled and stalked away, heading across the loft. Stiles raised a brow and gazed after him, watching Derek make straight for the bed shoved against the furthest loft corner. He still couldn’t believe that man lived like that, sometimes. If anything, Peter should be the one sleeping in the corner. Derek should be the one in an actual bedroom upstairs. Or  _ something. _

But he just watched as Derek settled down on the edge of his bed. He could’ve sworn in the dim light, he could see the man wincing. But Derek didn’t say a word so Stiles didn’t either, moving over to the couch.

Whatever. He was here because he was a good person.

That’s totally why. Nothing more.

Stiles dropped onto the couch with a sigh. He stared up at the ceiling for a long moment, resisting the urge to gaze over the top of the couch at Derek. Maybe he was being stupid. Maybe the man was going to be fine. For all Stiles knew, he’d come over here for nothing other than making a fool of himself.

Suddenly, he heard Derek sigh too.

“Stiles, stop thinking.”

Stiles finally did raise his head, peering over the couch and glaring at the man. “Uh, what dude?”

“Stop  _ thinking.” _

“Are you seriously asking me to turn my brain off right now?”

“No, I’m telling you to.”

“Asshole.”

Derek gave him a red-eyed look and Stiles would never admit to the shiver than ran down his spine. He glared right back and Derek sat up with a groan, his face twisting in the moonlight. Stiles’s heart skipped a beat.

“Fine. If neither of us are going to get any sleep, then you can put yourself to good use.”

“Wow, dude, I’m really feeling the love over here.”

“There’s a first aid kit in the kitchen. In the drawer next to the fridge.

“Oh yeah, just let me grab that for you.”

They gave each other death glares for a moment and then Derek started to stand. But the man’s face twisted in pain and Stiles was on his feet in a second, only hating himself a little bit. He rolled his eyes at Derek’s smug looked and ducked into the kitchen, rummaging through the drawers. 

A couple minutes later, he came out with a bag of chips as well as the first aid kit. Derek raised an eyebrow, not looking impressed.

“Seriously, Stiles?”

“Shut up, Sourwolf, I just spent my entire night running around the preserve after a rogue Alpha. I’m a growing boy and I’m hungry.”

Stiles dropped on the bed next to the man and Derek grunted in pain. Stiles automatically winced, guilt striking through him despite himself.

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine.”

Stiles huffed. “Can I see?”

The man eyed him for a long moment as if he was still questioning his choices. And then he shifted a little bit, turning his back toward Stiles. There was definitely a set of claw marks slicing through his t-shirt and Stiles could see torn flesh through the torn material. He breathed heavily out of his nose, resisting the urge to smack Derek over the back of his head. 

He figured that wouldn’t end very well for himself.

“Dude, were you seriously just going to go to sleep with a bloody and torn back?”

“I was waiting for you to leave.”

“You know me, Sourwolf. Did you really think I was going to go anywhere until I knew you were alright?”

Derek looked over his shoulder at him for a long moment, face softening. Then quietly, he shook his head, and Stiles felt his chest tighten a little bit. He tried to ignore the feeling by dropping his gaze.

“Damn straight, you furry asshole.”

“Why?”

Stiles blinked back up at him for a moment. Then, nervously, he wet his lips. “Because.”

“Because  _ why,  _ Stiles?”

“Because I care about you, asshole,” Stiles said. “I’ve always cared about you.”

The silence reigned for a moment. Stiles swallowed hard and concentrated on the first aid kit, taking out a roll of bandages. When Derek still didn’t say a word, he lifted the man’s shirt back up and winced at the marks going across his back.

“Does it still hurt?”

“Stiles—”

“Don’t, Derek,” Stiles said quietly. “Just… let me help.”

The man went quiet again. And Stiles traced gentle fingers across the tops of his shoulders, watching as Derek shivered. Then he pulled away and rummaged through the first aid kit again, setting aside the gauze and grabbing a bottle of antiseptic.

The silence reigned for the rest of the process. Derek only hissed softly as Stiles cleaned the wounds across his back and Stiles murmured quiet apologies underneath his breath that he wasn’t sure the man caught or not. By the time Derek was no longer actively bleeding and Stiles was satisfied with his attempt at doctor, the silence almost seemed too fragile to break.

Still, Stiles had never had a good hold on his tongue. “You’re looking good, Sourwolf. I’m pretty sure you won’t be dying tonight.”

“Stiles—”

“I mean, I’ll probably still stay just in case, but—”

_ “Stiles.” _

He winced, dread coiling in his gut. Because this was it. This was Derek sending him away or shooting him down. Because Stiles wasn’t allowed to care about the big bad Alpha of Beacon Hills. No one was.

Derek turned his head to face him, Stiles’s one hand still on his shoulder. The man searched his face for a moment; quietly. Carefully. Stiles swallowed hard and resisted the urge to wince away. Just waiting for Derek to send him from the loft.

“You care about me,” the man said quietly. Stiles licked his lips.

“I’m allowed to.”

“No matter what I do.”

Stiles huffed. “Sure, I think I might be better off without you. I mean, yeah, dude, I know it’s stupid. I know all of this could get me killed. But Derek, asshole, I’m allowed to care. And I’m already latched on so you might as well deal with me.”

He figured those were a few risky few words. But Derek stayed silently for a moment, grey-green eyes locked on his. And then suddenly— Stiles was pretty sure he’d blacked out or something— the man had leaned forward, gentle lips brushing against his own.

Derek’s lips. Derek’s mouth. The man tasted like salt and blood, his lips a little cracked. And Stiles— Stiles blanked out for a moment. Froze. And then the moment his brain caught up, he was kissing Derek back too.

He was kissing Derek Hale. In the darkness of the loft, moonlight streaming in through those giant stupid windows. A first aid kit useless at their side and one hand still on Derek’s shoulder.

“I care about you,” Stiles said softly, just because it needed to be said again. And he could’ve sworn Derek smiled softly. “I’m allowed to.”

“And me too?”

Stiles nearly melted as he moved forward and caught the man in another kiss. Derek hummed at the back of his throat and Stiles’s heart might have skipped a beat. Cause yeah, he supposed that was fair. Stiles was allowed to care.

And Derek was too. 

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompt: "I think I might be better off without you" and I'm such a sucker for some soft hurt/comfort. I hope you all enjoyed and I'd love to hear your thoughts! You guys are wonderful, as always <3
> 
> Come hang with me on Tumblr?
> 
> [the dumpster](https://when-she-writes-stuff.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Or on my favorite Sterek discord!
> 
> [not a dumpster](https://discord.gg/78RjqwY)


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